Vayeishev – Page 11 – Peninim on the Torah

And he asked Pharaoh’s courtiers who were with him in the prison….”Why do you appear downcast today?” (40:7)

Four words! Yosef turned to the dejected, deposed courtiers of Pharaoh, noticing their downcast appearance, he asked them, “Why are you so downcast? What is the cause of your depression?” Yosef’s sensitivity catalyzed circumstances that changed his entire life and the history of Klal Yisrael. Our course of history was altered because Yosef asked a simple question. He noticed–he cared–he took action. First and foremost, however, he noticed. This caring for another human being ultimately led to Yosef’s salvation from imprisonment and elevation to the position of viceroy. Thus, his father, Yaakov, was able to come down to Egypt…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Vayeishev

“And Yaakov settled in the land of his father’s sojournings.” (37:1)

The text begins with the word, “Vayeshev,” settle, and ends with “migurei,” sojourn. Chazal infer from this seeming ambiguity that Yaakov finally sought to settle down, to rest from the tzaros, afflictions, that were an integral part of his life. He was not, however, destined to rest. The righteous enjoy no rest in this world. Their ultimate rest and reward await them in the World to Come. Chazal do not mean that Yaakov is about to “retire,” to cease his work in this world. They simply teach us that the tzaddik’s work is never completed. Yaakov thought that he had…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Vayeishev

“And his brothers were jealous of him.” (37:1)

Meilitz Yosher infers a striking lesson from this pasuk. One can have an abundance of “heteirim,” reasons for eating a certain food that is not kosher. He can find a number of reasons to justify his actions. Yet, when all is said and done, his action is simply not justifiable. This is similar to the lazy person who comes up with a multitude of excuses for not participating in a given endeavor. Indeed, all of the stated reasons may be true, but – the main reason that he is not involved in this endeavor is his indolence! The Torah tells…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Vayeishev

“And they took him, and cast him into the pit; the pit was empty, no water was in it.” ( 37:24)

Chazal derive from the redundancy of the text that, although there was no water in the pit, dangerous creatures, such as serpents and scorpians, abounded. We may question the Torah‘s style in expressing its point. If the pit contained serpents and scorpions, why did the Torah not clearly state that fact? What purpose does the Torah serve with this back-handed approach? This question is posed by every serious reader of the text. The commentators offer a number of explanations. Horav David Shneuer, Shlita, takes a novel approach which teaches us an important lesson. The Torah asserts, “The pit was empty,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Vayeishev

“And Reuven returned to the pit, and behold, Yosef was not in the pit!” (37:30)

From where was Reuven “returning”? Chazal teach us that he was engaged in fasting and praying for the sin of exchanging the beds. In accepting his teshuvah, Hashem said to him, “Never from the beginning of Creation has there been an individual who has sinned and expiated his sin via the medium of teshuvah. You began by performing teshuvah first. By your life, your grandson will also stand before Klal Yisrael and admonish them to perform teshuvah first.” This refers to Hoshe’a Ha’Navi whose words, “Shuvah Yisrael,” serve as the clarion call for teshuvah. The commentators ask the obvious question:…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Vayeishev

“And the chief wine steward did not remember Yosef and he forgot him.” (40:23)

Chazal teach us that Yosef was forgotten because he was wrong in placing his trust in a mere human being. Did Yosef really behave inappropriately? What about the concept of hishtadlus, endeavor? Is one to sit back with folded hands doing nothing whatsoever, expecting the blessing to descend from Hashem? Horav Elyakim Shlesinger, Shlita, surmises from here a significant principle regarding the idea of hishtadlus. He cites the Midrash which quotes Hashem’s statement to Yosef, “The Sar Ha’Mashkim, wine steward, forgot you. I will not forget you. Who waited for Avraham and Sarah to attain old age before they had…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayeishev

“And Yisrael loved Yosef more than all his sons, since he was a child of his old age.” (37:3)

Chazal offer a number of interpretations for the phrase, “ben zekunim,” child of his old age. Some of the commentators define “ben zekunim” as “bar chakim,” wise son, referring to Yosef’s remarkable Torah scholarship. Rashi cites the Midrash which comments, “All that he (Yaakov) learned in the yeshivah of Shem and Ever during his fourteen years there, he transmitted to Yosef.” This statement is ambiguous. Did Yaakov teach Torah only to Yosef and not to his other sons? Yaakov provided a Torah education for each of his twelve sons, emphatically raising them all to become tzaddikim. The Midrash in Shemos…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayeishev

“And a certain man found him and behold he was wandering in the field and the man asked him, saying, ‘What are you seeking?'” (37:15)

As Yosef was searching for his brothers, he was met by a man who questioned his purpose in the field. Simply, the man wondered for what or for whom Yosef was looking. The Kotzker Rebbe, z.l., interpreted this question in a novel manner, assigning to these words a new meaning, as they teach us (and Yosef) a profound lesson. One must have clear goals. He must continually be prepared to redefine and reaffirm these goals as he is confronted with changing life situations. While he was at home, Yosef was involved in Torah scholarship. His environment was a spiritual utopia,…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayeishev

“But Er, Yehudah’s firstborn was evil in the eyes of Hashem, and Hashem caused him to die.” (38:7)

The Matriarchs of the Jewish people were by nature barren. It is perplexing that the Jewish nation, which maintains a singular purpose in Creation should descend from women who by the laws of “nature” could not possibly bear a child. This phenomenon extends to Malchus Bais David, the monarchy of David Ha’melech, who is the sovereign of the Jewish nation. The individual from whom Moshiach will descend also had his roots in the most unnatural setting. Yehudah was the chosen monarch over the tribes. His position was to transfer this role to his eldest son, Er, who was not suitable…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayeishev

“And the keeper of the prison put in Yosef’s hand all the prisoners… and whatever they did there he was the doer of it.” (39:22)

The pasuk implies that Yosef initiated everything that was accomplished by the prisoners. The redundancy of the text begs explanation. Obviously, everything they did he would do. Horav Moshe Yechiel Epstein, z.l., interprets this pasuk homiletically. Yosef was teaching us a profound lesson in avodas Hashem, serving the Almighty. Yosef was not satisfied with the fact that he upheld all of the mitzvos. He was not complacent with his own mitzvah observance. He was driven to do more, to correct and complete what others had either denigrated or discarded. Yosef was not content simply to abstain from transgressing any aveiros,…

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And he asked Pharaoh’s courtiers who were with him in the prison….”Why do you appear downcast today?” (40:7)

“And Yaakov settled in the land of his father’s sojournings.” (37:1)

“And his brothers were jealous of him.” (37:1)

“And they took him, and cast him into the pit; the pit was empty, no water was in it.” ( 37:24)

“And Reuven returned to the pit, and behold, Yosef was not in the pit!” (37:30)

“And the chief wine steward did not remember Yosef and he forgot him.” (40:23)

“And Yisrael loved Yosef more than all his sons, since he was a child of his old age.” (37:3)

“And a certain man found him and behold he was wandering in the field and the man asked him, saying, ‘What are you seeking?'” (37:15)

“But Er, Yehudah’s firstborn was evil in the eyes of Hashem, and Hashem caused him to die.” (38:7)

“And the keeper of the prison put in Yosef’s hand all the prisoners… and whatever they did there he was the doer of it.” (39:22)

YEARS

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